Aura of the Past
by pikagurl23
Summary: During a battle with Naraku, Inuyasha senses a familiar aura surrounding the battle grounds. While trying to figure out some things about this aura, Inuyasha discovers more about himself and his feelings for Kagome, but when things take a turn for the wor
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha!  
  
A/N: I am still fairly new to this anime, so please bear with me as I may make a few mistakes that may seem obvious to you die-hard Inuyasha fans. Don't fret though; I am not a completely new writer. I have other fanfics that I've written in the past, but that's another story. Also, just a side note, whenever I do this '…' it means that the scene will skip from one group of people to the next. Confusing? You'll get the picture once you start reading. So, without further ado, on with the show!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"The sacred arrow!" yelled Miroku over the high winds that were starting to engulf the group.  
  
"Do it, Kagome," urged Inuyasha as he readied his Tetsusaiga for his most powerful attack, the Backlash wave. The sword started to glow an eerie gold as Inuyasha powered up his trusty weapon.  
  
The battle had lasted for nearly five hours, with no end to the destruction. Naraku was relentless in his attack against the nearby villages, and had no intention of stopping. The dark aura that surrounded him started to grow until it had almost engulfed anything within a mile radius. At the last second, Miroku had summoned a barrier to protect them, but with the length of the battle, he was beginning to weaken. Kaede, the elderly priestess, was also aiding them in the war against Naraku. She had aided Miroku and had put up a barrier of her own, but, like the young monk, she was also starting to weaken.  
  
All the while, feeling helpless against the situation, Sango and Shippo encouraged Miroku and Kaede to keep the barrier up for as long as they could until they thought of a strategy. Kirara growled menacingly at the demon, ready to pounce the second the barrier was dropped. Myoga, the elderly flea and aid to Inuyasha, despite his fear of everything, also decided to help the group because of a promise made to Inuyasha's father long ago. Giving helpful advice to Inuyasha, the elderly flea advised the only strategy that it could think of in a situation like this.  
  
"Right," nodded Kagome as she removed an arrow from the pack that was hanging on her shoulder. She adjusted the arrow and aimed it as best she could.  
  
"Now remember, you must aim for his heart or it may not work," advised the flea as it jumped off of Inuyasha's shoulder and into the paws of the young fox-demon, Shippo.  
  
"What if it doesn't work?" cried Shippo, as he climbed onto the back of Kirara.  
  
"Well then my friends, I bid you farewell," whimpered Myoga as he did a Japanese style bow while also removing his hat.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean, you blood sucking pest?!" growled Inuyasha as Myoga cowered back in fear.  
  
"M-Master Inuyasha, I meant nothing by it, but, well, you must feel it. You feel it, don't you?" asked Myoga.  
  
Growling to himself, Inuyasha turned away and ignored the flea.  
  
"Feel what? What do you feel?" asked Shippo curiously.  
  
"Inuyasha?" questioned Kagome.  
  
Kagome, Shippo, Myoga, and Sango all fixed their gaze upon the young half-demon with looks of wonder on their faces. Inuyasha, it seemed, had been a bit preoccupied throughout the whole battle, considering he was usually on top of his game in life or death situations. Everyone knew that something was wrong, especially Kagome, but they all knew better than to bring it up at such a time.  
  
"What are you all staring at?! Are we gonna do this or not?!" growled Inuyasha, raising his weapon once more.  
  
Kagome nodded confidently. "Right," she announced, "Let's finish this."  
  
"Now, that's more like it," smirked Inuyasha.  
  
He looked up at the demon that was Naraku and stared at him menacingly. The full blooded demon was almost three times the height of Inuyasha and he towered over them threateningly.  
  
"You're going down, Naraku!" yelled Inuyasha, "I'll make you pay for the pain you've caused us. You'll never hurt a single soul ever again!"  
  
'The pain in his voice,' thought Kagome, 'He's must be talking about Kikyo.'  
  
"Fools," Naraku hissed, "Don't you know by now that I cannot be defeated?"  
  
"We'll just see about that. Kagome!" screamed a voice.  
  
She shook her head and looked up to see Inuyasha staring at her.  
  
"Now's not the time to be spacing off. You have to be prepared and stay focused," he explained.  
  
Nodding her head, Kagome readied her bow and arrow and prepared to shoot.  
  
'He's right, now's not the time to be day dreaming,' she thought to herself, 'I have to stay focused if I'm gonna do this.'  
  
"You…must…hurry," strained Kaede as her powers were beginning to weaken.  
  
"We cannot hold it much longer," added Miroku as he pushed to keep his barrier up.  
  
"You better keep that barrier up Miroku, if you know what's good for you," Inuyasha warned, "Ready, Kagome?"  
  
"Ready!" she announced as she tenderly pulled the string of her bow back and released the arrow.  
  
The arrow shot straight through Miroku and Kaede's barrier and straight at Naraku. In mid-flight it started to glow an icy blue as it seemed to gain speed with every intention of striking Naraku's heart. The sacred arrow had formed a blue aura in the sky that seemed to diminish the darkness that was being released from Naraku's body. It cut straight through the demon's barrier and was mere inches away from his heart.  
  
"Backlash wave!" called Inuyasha as he brought his Tetsusaiga out and swung it forcibly at the giant demon. The power within the mighty weapon was unlocked as it emitted a bright gold aura, seemingly making Inuyasha invincible.  
  
The wave of power followed Kagome's arrow and also shot directly through the demon's barrier. Looking on in hope, the group held their breath as the sacred arrow and backlash wave collided and formed a mighty explosion into Naraku's body.  
  
"Please work," prayed Kagome as she clutched her bow in her shaking palms.  
  
"Fools, you think you could defeat the great Naraku so easily?" he laughed.  
  
"Oh no! It didn't work!" cried Shippo as he hid behind the legs of Kirara.  
  
'Damn,' thought Inuyasha, frustrated with himself that he couldn't finish the job.  
  
"L-Look!" cried Myoga as he pointed at the demon.  
  
Everyone had looked just in time to see the aura of Kagome's sacred arrow. The blue aura had started to spread and the purification process had begun to take place throughout Naraku's body.  
  
"No! This-This can't be happening! How can this mere mortal girl contain the power to strike down a full-blooded demon?!" screamed Naraku in complete rage as he fell to his knees.  
  
He screeched in agony as the blue light continued to spread throughout the depths of his body. The Shikon jewel shards were being forced out of his body causing Naraku to crumple over in pain and weakness.  
  
"No, my precious shards," roared the demon as he reached out to try to grasp them back. The jewels emitted the same aura as Kagome's arrow and reflected Naraku's hand right back at him. He fell back into the field behind him as he started to slowly return to normal size.  
  
"No! My jewel shards!" screamed Naraku as the shards started to float towards the group. As the jewels made their way to Kagome, it left a path of purification where Naraku had once destroyed the life.  
  
"I can't hold it anymore," announced Miroku, as both he and Kaede dropped the barrier in complete exhaustion. Sango ran over to them both to see if they were okay.  
  
The shards then floated delicately into Kagome's open hands where they came to rest.  
  
"It's amazing that these little stones could cause so much power and destruction," said Kagome as she put the shards into the glass jar that she wore around her neck.  
  
"You cursed mortal! You will pay for what you've done!" yelled Naraku as he readied a final blast and aimed it at Kagome.  
  
The blast formed around Naraku and began to gather energy.  
  
"We have to get out of here!" yelled Inuyasha as he picked up Kagome, "It's not safe."  
  
"I agree!" whimpered Myoga as he jumped onto Kirara's back, along with Sango.  
  
"Master Miroku!" yelled a voice in the distance.  
  
Miroku turned to see where the voice was coming from and saw his loyal friend, Hachi, in his flying form.  
  
"Hachi! Perfect timing," smiled Miroku as he hopped onto his friend's back while also helping the weak Kaede as well. The apprehensive Shippo jumped on as well.  
  
"Master, I was looking everywhere for you. And then I saw the explosion and rushed over here," panted Hachi as he explained his story quickly.  
  
"Excellent deduction, my friend," said Miroku as he watched the ever growing orb that was starting to form around Naraku.  
  
Inuyasha also hopped onto Hachi, Kagome safe in his arms. He set her down and sighed in exasperation.  
  
"Get us out of here, Hachi," demanded Inuyasha.  
  
"Yes, sir," nodded Hachi as he sped off in the opposite direction of Naraku.  
  
"Hold it you wretched mortal! You won't escape my power!" he wailed as he threw the blast directly at the group. Upon releasing his ball of energy, he disintegrated into nothing.  
  
"Brace yourselves!" yelled Inuyasha as he held onto Kagome tightly. Miroku held onto Kaede with one arm and Shippo with the other.  
  
"Hachi!" yelled Miroku as the blast made a direct hit.  
  
"Master! Hold on everybody!" screamed Hachi as he tried to steady himself, but it was too late.  
  
After the initial shock of the blast had passed, the group slowly stood up to investigate the damage.  
  
"Is everyone okay?" asked Miroku as he checked up on Kaede and Shippo.  
  
"I don't know how much more this old body of mine can take," announced Kaede as she stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
"Yeah, that was way too close for comfort," said Shippo as he looked over the edge at the height at which they were currently sailing, "That's some drop."  
  
"Hey, where's Inuyasha and Kagome?!" announced Sango as she came within talking distance of Hachi.  
  
"Master Inuyasha!" wailed Myoga.  
  
Miroku carefully looked over the edge.  
  
"You don't think they…" Miroku stopped himself before he could finish his sentence.  
  
"That's probably exactly what happened," explained Kaede as she too looked over the edge.  
  
"Do you think they made it?" asked Shippo, scared of the answer that he might receive.  
  
"I'm almost positive they did," nodded Kaede confidently, "That young demon is a strong one. They will be just fine, but either way, we should waste no time in trying to locate them."  
  
"Right," Miroku nodded, "Hachi, let's head downward and see if we can spot them from the air."  
  
"Yes, Master," answered Hachi as he started his descent into the forest…  
  
"Inuyasha? Can you hear me?" asked Kagome as she tried to wake the unconscious half-demon.  
  
"Ugh," stirred Inuyasha as he held his head in pain.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Kagome worriedly, "That's quite a fall we took. I'm surprised we even made it."  
  
"Of course we did. My body's a lot tougher than yours is," snapped Inuyasha as he felt for his Tetsusaiga.  
  
"I know," smiled Kagome.  
  
"Are you hurt?" Inuyasha asked in a small voice as he turned away to look elsewhere.  
  
"I'm just fine. I'm glad you cared enough about me to ask," she said, knowing that Inuyasha's soft side didn't show too much.  
  
"Yeah, well, who do you think I am just some heartless half-breed?" he snapped back.  
  
"No, of course not," answered Kagome as she tried to carefully climb down the tree that they were stuck in. She reached down to step onto a branch, when it snapped under her weight.  
  
"Ahh!" she screamed as she closed her eyes in fear, but something was wrong, she wasn't falling.  
  
"Stupid," announced Inuyasha as he held onto Kagome by her arm and lifted her back onto the stable tree branch, "And just what do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I'm trying to get down from here! If I can avoid it, I'd like to not spend the night in a tree," Kagome shot back.  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sighed.  
  
"What would you do without me?" bragged Inuyasha as he picked Kagome up and easily hopped from one branch to the next until they finally reached the ground.  
  
"Oh please," Kagome said as she rolled her eyes and began to walk away.  
  
"Just where do you think you're going?" asked Inuyasha in pure annoyance.  
  
"I'm going to find the others," announced Kagome as she walked off.  
  
"Wait up…," called Inuyasha as he ran after her…  
  
"You know guys, I was just thinking," said Shippo out loud as they continued to search for Inuyasha and Kagome, "Well, do you think that Naraku is really defeated?"  
  
"Who knows?" answered Sango, "He may turn up again. The only thing we can do is stay sharp and be prepared for the worst."  
  
"It would be nice though if Naraku was truly defeated, then we'd be able to continue our search for the rest of the jewel shards," sighed Miroku.  
  
"The jewel shards?" asked Sango, "What do you want with the jewel shards? I thought you were only in with us to defeat Naraku."  
  
"Well, that is my primary objective, but after all that's over and done with and you all use the shards for your own purposes, then I was thinking about keeping it to lure some beautiful damsel into my nest and then asking her if she'd bear…"  
  
"Yes, yes, bear your children, we know," Sango interrupted the monk.  
  
"Well, aren't we bitter today," snapped Miroku.  
  
"Now, now, now's not the time to be starting an argument. We must find Inuyasha and Kagome before nightfall or else they could be in terrible trouble," warned Kaede.  
  
"Why is that?" asked Shippo, "I'm sure they'll be fine if we camp out until tomorrow."  
  
"Tonight is the night in which Master Inuyasha will lose his demon powers and become a full human," explained Myoga.  
  
"Tonight's the night of the full moon?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Yes, that is why it is imperative that we find them as soon as possible," sighed Kaede as they continued their search…  
  
"Kagome, wait up!" yelled Inuyasha.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"We should think about setting up camp soon. It's getting dark," explained Inuyasha as he looked up into the sky.  
  
"I know. That's what I'm doing," said Kagome as she continued to walk.  
  
Inuyasha looked at Kagome in utter confusion, Kagome, picking up on this, explained herself.  
  
"I know you lose your powers tonight, that's why I'm trying to find a place for us to spend the night. It needs to be safe and away from danger," said Kagome as she examined an empty cave.  
  
"What do you mean by that? You think I'm not strong even without my power?" growled Inuyasha as he crossed his arms.  
  
"No, I know you're strong, but it's just for tonight," smiled Kagome as she walked into the cave.  
  
"And just what do you think you're doing?" he asked as they walked into the cave together, "There might be demons in here."  
  
"What are you, scared?" smirked Kagome as she went a little further into the cave and then sat down on a relatively flat stone.  
  
"Ha! Me, scared? You've got to be kidding me. I'm not scared of nothing," answered Inuyasha as he sat down next to her and attempted to light a fire.  
  
Kagome took out a few matches from out of her backpack and started to light a few dry sticks on fire as Inuyasha looked on in amazement.  
  
"What the heck are those?" he asked curiously as he picked up one of the matches and examined it.  
  
"Where I come from, they're called matches. We use them to light things on fire," explained Kagome as she took another match from out of the matchbox, "Here, watch."  
  
She held the match tightly and struck it against the rock next to her and it instantly caught fire. She held it in front of him to see and then threw it into their campfire.  
  
"Let me try," said Inuyasha as he grabbed another match.  
  
He attempted to strike it on the ground, but to no affect. He tried several more times before finally giving up.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with this stupid thing?" yelled Inuyasha as he glared at the match.  
  
Kagome gave out a laugh and held Inuyasha's hand, which was holding the match.  
  
"Here, I'll run you through the steps," she said as she took his hand.  
  
'His hand, it's so warm,' thought Kagome as she lifted it off of the ground.  
  
She took his hand and went through the motion in which to strike the match. Then, she took his hand next to a rock and struck it roughly with the match. The tip of the match lit and the flame illuminated Inuyasha's face as he brought it up to examine. He looked at it, turning it every which way and smiled.  
  
"Ha! Told you I could do it," smiled Inuyasha proudly as he stared at the match.  
  
'Just like a kid in a candy store,' smiled Kagome as she watched the flame travel down the match.  
  
"Uh, Inuyasha…"  
  
"What is it Kagome, can't you see I'm busy?" snapped Inuyasha as he continued to stare at the match.  
  
"But Inuyasha!" warned Kagome as the flame neared the bottom.  
  
"What is it already?!"  
  
"The flame on the match!" yelled Kagome as the flame barely singed his fingers.  
  
"Ahh! Ow! Damn it!" he yelped as the flame burned his fingers, and then extinguished. He threw the match on the ground in pure anger.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Kagome as she started to tend to his singed fingers.  
  
"Hmph! I'm fine!" he grumbled, pulling his hand away from her to tend to it himself, "Stupid match!"  
  
Kagome smiled, but was interrupted when she heard a sound. All of a sudden, it started to rain outside. As the rain fell, Kagome got up from her seat and walked towards the entrance of the cave. The sky was a dark, angry black and the clouds had shifted over the forest that they were inhabited in. The wind blew harshly and made the trees bend over from the force. Sighing, Kagome sat back down next to Inuyasha.  
  
"I guess we're sleeping here tonight," sighed Kagome as she started to get comfortable.  
  
"That's just fine with me," grumbled Inuyasha as he continued to tend to his burned finger.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Kagome as she laid down in front of the fire.  
  
"I told you, I'm fine. It's just a small burn," he snapped.  
  
"Okay, whatever you say," shrugged Kagome as she brought a blanket out of her backpack.  
  
There was silence for several moments. The only thing that could be heard was the rain falling against the walls of the cave that they shared. The fire continued to burn as Kagome stared aimlessly into its flames. Thought after thought went flying through her head. What had happened back there? The battle with Naraku seemed different, much different than what she expected it to be. Inuyasha wasn't himself, but she seemed to be the only one to notice that. She had always felt a strong connection, a strong bond with the half-demon, almost as if they were connected. She knew something was wrong because of his fighting style in battle. His mind just wasn't focusing hard enough, his eyes seemed glazed over, and, above all, it seemed to strike a chord with him when Myoga mentioned something about Naraku. What exactly did he mean by it? What could Inuyasha feel that the rest of the group couldn't? She had to find out.  
  
"Hey Inuyasha," she whispered while continuing to keep her gaze at the fire.  
  
After hearing no response, she turned her head to see that he was at the end of the cave, staring out into the forest. His dark form held something different. He had already transformed into a human. Kagome knew how much he loathed that one day of the month when he transformed into a fully blooded human, even if it was only for one day. She got up and sat down next to him.  
  
"Hey, you should get some rest. We have a big day ahead of us," Kagome smiled.  
  
"I'm not tired. You should get to sleep," he answered as he continued to stare into the darkness.  
  
Before Kagome could say anything, he spoke up, his gaze still within the depths of the forest.  
  
"I'm just thinking."  
  
With that, Kagome knew that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. She briskly turned away and started to head back to her spot next to the fire.  
  
"Kagome," he whispered.  
  
She turned around and looked in his direction.  
  
"About what Myoga said earlier…did you read into that?" he asked, his back still turned.  
  
"No, I just figured that it was between the two of you. I didn't want to pry," she responded.  
  
Without any response, she, once again, turned away and headed to her spot.  
  
"My parents," he whispered.  
  
She stopped in mid-step and slowly turned her head. He was about to tell her?  
  
She walked back over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm listening, Inuyasha."  
  
A/N: Well, that was the end of my first chapter. How did you like it? Now, remember, I am still kind of new at this, so please be nice with the reviews. However, I do love to receive and read whatever it is that you send, so please review this chapter so I know what to do better in the next chapter. Thanks! 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, here's chapter two of my fanfic! Keep the reviews coming! Thanks!

Chapter 2

"I'm listening, Inuyasha."

The young half-demon continued to focus into the darkness. Not once had he made eye contact with Kagome. She was wondering what it was exactly that Inuyasha was about to reveal to her. He rarely, if ever, opened up to her like this and she wanted to make sure that she paid close attention so as to gain his trust in the future.

"I could feel them," he whispered to her, "I could feel them, Kagome."

Finally, Inuyasha stood up and turned desperately towards Kagome. His eyes showed an innocence that she had never seen in him before, like that of a young boy, lost and confused in a world of problems and conflicts. His voice sounded unsure, scared, and maybe even a little bit weak. His demeanor was all wrong; it was not the Inuyasha that she knew.

"Your parents?" asked Kagome gingerly as she took a step closer.

As an answer, he just nodded and stared down at the floor, unsure if he should go on.

"I felt their aura during that battle with Naraku. I knew it was them, but I just didn't know where it was coming from, that's why I couldn't focus properly. I just kept thinking about it, about them. I put everyone, Miroku, Shippo, Myoga, Kaede, Sango, and especially you, in danger today," he paused to consider his thoughts before speaking once again, "I don't know what to do, Kagome. For the first time in my life, I don't what to do. I don't know what direction to head in, what to think, I don't know any of that. I'm lost."

Inuyasha dropped down to his knees and pounded the ground with his fists in pure frustration with himself. He had never felt so weak and vulnerable in his whole life. What had forced him to become this way?

All of a sudden, he could feel Kagome wrap her arms around Inuyasha's waist. She rested her head against his chest and spoke softly to him.

"We'll figure this out, I promise you, Inuyasha. All of us, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and myself, we all trust you. We're a team, so don't go thinking that you're going to go through this alone. We're with you all the way, and don't you forget that," smiled Kagome as she lifted her head from off of his chest.

"Kagome…" uttered Inuyasha.

At a complete loss for words, the only thing that Inuyasha could think of doing was holding onto her, never letting her go, and protecting her forever. He had always known that his friends were beside him, but he had never been told that before in actual words. Putting everything into words helped him to understand more of what Kagome was trying to tell him. Before she had come through the well, even after he had met Kikyo, he continued to have trouble trusting people, but with the likely teaming of Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kagome, he started to realize that they actually trusted him with their lives, as did he, in a way. He knew that they would never abandon him, even though he tried to convince himself otherwise. They were with him until the very end, he just had to get used to it.

Inuyasha, then, held onto Kagome and closed his eyes. He had never felt so close to her before. All of these unknown feelings were rushing to his head in a blur of emotions. But just then, something had ruined the moment.

"You hold Shikon Jewel shards…" came a voice from the darkness within the cave.

Letting go of each other, Inuyasha stood up in front of Kagome and held the handle of his Tetsusaiga threateningly.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" yelled Inuyasha at the dark form that was approaching them.

"I sense the sacred jewel shards," said the voice as it continued to approach, "You," it said while pointing at Kagome, "You have them."

"And that's where they're going to stay!" yelled Inuyasha warningly.

"Be careful Inuyasha," whispered Kagome.

"Inuyasha? The Inuyasha?" said the voice as it stopped in mid-step, "But you are nothing more than a mere mortal. The Inuyasha I've heard of is a powerful half-demon that yields a mighty weapon said to slay one hundred demons in a single swing."

"So, you've heard of me?" he asked, still clutching the handle of his sword.

"But you cannot possibly be the person I'm referring to, you're a mortal," laughed the figure.

"Come on out and I'll show you my real power!" screamed Inuyasha.

The figure came into the light of the cave and revealed himself to both Inuyasha and Kagome. He was a bulky, pale yellow color with fangs that reached past his lower lip. He also had a tale and mane like that of a lion and had two black stripes on either side of his face as well. It was…a demon.

"So, you're the great Inuyasha? Not much of an opponent if I do say so myself, especially considering who your father was," smiled the demon.

"How did you know my father?" growled Inuyasha.

"Yes, calm yourself my friend and I will tell you all about it," said the demon as he sat down.

"Friend? Who the hell do you think you are!" yelled Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, calm down and hear what he has to say," hushed Kagome.

"You have quite a mouth on you young one," said the demon.

"Who asked you?" snapped Inuyasha as he sat down against his will.

"Now let's see, your father and I go way back. It all started with the great battle of the tribes. I was a part of the feline tribe, while you're father was the leader of The Great Pack that used to roam these parts. Well, my tribe always tried to pick a fight with your father, but apparently, your father wanted nothing to do with us. I had heard from a source that my younger brother had been killed by your father's hands, so I sought revenge against him. During my last battle with my tribe, I had been hit by a blast of energy and was left immobile. I thought I was going to die there, in the middle of a blood infested battlefield," the demon paused for a moment before continuing, "Then I saw your father. He looked very majestic, but at the time, I still despised him for what he had done to my brother. He walked over to me and bent to my level and, to my surprise, he started to tend to my wounds and then, without another word, took me back to the place in which he was residing. When I asked why he had done what he had done, he just responded with, 'I hate war,' and that was it."

"But didn't you ask him about your brother?" asked Kagome as she crept out from behind Inuyasha.

"Yes, of course I did. He said that he remembered my brother, but that he was already near death when he found him. He said that he buried him atop the hill that we battled on," finished the lion-demon.

"That's quite a story," said Kagome.

"Yes, it is. I remember when your father had taken me to your house, that's where I met your mother, a mortal woman. It struck me as outrageous that this leader of the pack would be wed to a mortal and then, that's where I saw you, Inuyasha. At the time, you were probably too small to remember me, but I certainly do remember you. You emanated an aura around you that was not quite human and not quite demon. It amazed me," sighed the demon.

"Well, I've never heard that story before," said Inuyasha as he started to loosen up a bit.

"I apologize for the intrusion earlier. I did not know that it was you. I apologize Miss…uh…"

"Kagome, my name's Kagome," she answered as she briskly shook his hand.

"I see you are not afraid to come near me. You must have had past experiences with demons," observed the demon as he returned her handshake.

"Yeah, I'm used to that by now. And your name was…"

"I am Yukanshu," replied the demon.

"Hmm, Yukanshu, come to think of it, that name does kind of sound familiar," thought Inuyasha out loud.

"Maybe you do remember me?" asked the demon.

"Always a possibility," nodded Inuyasha as he let go of his sword.

"Ah, the mighty Tetsusaiga I presume?" asked Yukanshu.

"Yeah, this is it all right," sighed Inuyasha as he sat down by the fire.

"May I ask if I was right in detecting jewel shards?" Yukanshu asked.

Kagome nodded her head and pulled out her necklace with the glass jar attached to the end that held her jewel shards.

"I have heard of them before, but I have never actually seen them. I here they bring amazing power to whoever holds them," said Yukanshu as he studied the shards carefully, "But how did a young girl like yourself come across such power? It is evident that you are not of our time."

"I'm from the future and was given the whole piece of the jewel shard when I was young," explained Kagome reminiscently.

Kagome then began to tell Yukanshu of their travels around the Feudal Era, Naraku, Sesshomaru, and also how she had freed Inuyasha from the tree of ages.

"And that's how we started this journey to recover the other pieces of the jewel shards," finished Kagome.

"Very interesting," nodded Yukanshu as he looked up at Inuyasha, "And I see you are very much like your father, young one. The desire to be with a mortal girl mirrors the desire your father had for your mother."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" snapped Inuyasha as he stood up and glared down at the demon.

"No, it's nothing like that at all," said Kagome gently, as she looked down at the ground solemnly.

"I see, well I apologize then," he replied as he lifted his gaze up to Kagome.

'Mortals are always easier to read. I see what's going on now,' thought the demon to himself, 'I can sense strong feelings at work here, but they seem to be the only ones who don't see it.'

"Anyway, what's a demon like you doing in a cave like this?" pondered Inuyasha as he tried to change the subject.

"I came in here to escape from the rain. As a feline, I despise the rain," answered the demon in disgust.

"Well, you're welcome to join us for dinner," smiled Kagome as she got out her instant noodle cups.

She threw one of them to Inuyasha, who eagerly grabbed it and began to gather water from outside. She tossed another one to Yukanshu, who studied it very carefully.

"Is this some sort of food item?" he asked.

"Yeah, you boil water and pour it inside the cup, and there you have it, instant ramen!" said Kagome.

Inuyasha came crawling back into the cave, shaking himself off of the excess rain water.

"Hey, Kagome, get out one of those match things," announced Inuyasha.

"All right, hold on a second," she replied as she began to fill her water jug with rain water.

As Kagome held the jug through the cave's entrance, she thought she saw a rustling in the bushes.

'Must be my imagination,' she thought to herself.

All of a sudden, she felt a sudden rush of adrenaline run through to her head. Her head started to pound and all of her senses starting running on overdrive. She quickly scanned the area of any kind of disturbance that would cause her to feel this way.

'What's this evil presence I'm sensing?'

She whipped her head around and saw that both Inuyasha and Yukanshu had sensed the same thing.

"What is it?" asked Kagome.

"Sesshomaru!" growled Inuyasha as he walked to the entrance of the cave.

Sesshomaru walked briskly out of the forest and headed straight towards the cave without a moment's hesitation. Suddenly, he broke into a run, Jaken and Rin trailing behind. Upon entering the cave, he pinned Inuyasha to the wall by his neck.

"Sesshomaru, what the hell are you doing?" yelled Inuyasha.

"L-Lord Sesshomaru, why are you bothering yourself with such riff-raff. Let me handle the half-breed, milord," bowed Jaken as he prepared his staff.

"Quiet Jaken," scolded Sesshomaru, his gaze never leaving Inuyasha's eyes.

"You felt it, didn't you?" asked Sesshomaru.

"Felt what?" asked Rin.

'He must be talking about their father,' thought Kagome.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Yukanshu.

"Not another word if you value your life," growled Sesshomaru as he turned his attention back to Inuyasha, "The presence…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Inuyasha replied

"Don't be foolish Inuyasha, you may be a worthless half-breed, but I know you felt it," warned Sesshomaru as he tightened his grip on his younger brother's neck.

The trees continued to sway in the distance and the wind, relentless in force, blew harshly threw the forest as a family of crows made their way to the dark night sky above. With every waking moment, Sesshomaru's patience was tried. His grip tightened and his eyes were fierce with a malice that neither Inuyasha nor Kagome had ever seen before. The tension between the two brothers was so high; it held a quiver in the night air.

"I won't ask again," spoke Sesshomaru as he breathed out.

"It was near Naraku!" Kagome blurted out, "Now put him down, Sesshomaru."

Glaring at Kagome with a look of intrigue, Sesshomaru opened his claw and dropped his younger brother on the floor with a thud. Yukanshu and Kagome ran up to the young half-demon to make sure he was okay. Inuyasha grasped his neck and attempted to catch his breath.

"Naraku, you say?" asked Sesshomaru, confusion written on his face, "And what does his involvement in this have to do with anything?"

Kagome stood up and clenched a fist as she answered Sesshomaru's question. "

"We were in battle with him…and that's when…" Kagome trailed off and reverted her glance back to Inuyasha.

"What?" asked Jaken frantically, "What happened?"

"Hmph…nothing," spat Inuyasha as he got up from his position on the floor.

Fed up with the attitude and disrespect that Sesshomaru was getting, he quickly ran up to his younger brother and let loose a relentless punch in the face, which, in turn, sent Inuyasha flying into the wall of the cave. Enraged, he got up and started to pull up his sleeves.

"Who the hell do you think you are!" yelled Inuyasha as he started towards Sesshomaru, but was abruptly stopped by Kagome. She stood in front of him, holding a five foot gap between the two brothers.

Sesshomaru, as cool and collected as could be, just smirked at his brother's misfortune.

"Let him come, I would be glad to give him an early death," scoffed Sesshomaru, "You're a disappointment to all demons, letting a human girl protect you. That may be the only thing that father and you have in common. Your weakness to be with a human girl will be your downfall."

"Shut up!" shouted Inuyasha as he pushed past Kagome.

"No Inuyasha!" warned Kagome as she caught a glimpse of Sesshomaru's sword, the almighty, but evil Toukijin, pulsating in his sheath, "Sit!"

Not being able to resist the power of the prayer beads, Inuyasha flew to the ground, face first.

"Damn this stupid thing!" muttered Inuyasha, face still firmly in the ground.

Giving a look of disgust, Sesshomaru turned his back to the young half-demon, "I leave you with this, Inuyasha; do not get involved. This will be my fight and I will be the one to kill Naraku. And it will be me who figures out why father's presence is near," finished Sesshomaru as took his leave back into the forest.

"That Sesshomaru…" growled Inuyasha as he got up from off of the ground and rubbed his face with his sleeve.

"Calm down. There's nothing you could've done," soothed Kagome as she watched Sesshomaru, Rin, and Jaken disappear into the forest from which they had come.

"And you! What the heck was that for?" asked Inuyasha, referring to the command that Kagome had given earlier.

"I did it for your own safety. You wouldn't have been able to go up against Sesshomaru now, not in your current condition at least," answered Kagome.

"She is right my friend," nodded Yukanshu.

"Who asked you?" said Inuyasha as he turned his head away in defeat.

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?" yelled Kagome, her voice echoing throughout the cave.

"Me? Stubborn? What about you?" argued Inuyasha.

"What about me?" asked Kagome.

"You're so stubborn, you make Sesshomaru look docile!"

"Sit" yelled Kagome, and with that, the argument, that had started mere minutes ago, was over with Kagome the victor.

Yukanshu just shook his head as Kagome walked to the entrance of the cave in pure anger.

Later that night, after Kagome and Yukanshu had both gone to sleep, Inuyasha sat at the entrance to the cave, deep in thought. Thoughts of his mother and father swirled throughout his mind like a whirlwind that was out of control. Many hurtful memories of the past tried to force their way back into Inuyasha's mind, but he continued to ignore them. For the remainder of the night, he just sat there, unsure about everything around him. He was unsure about himself, his enemies, his friends…well, maybe not so much his friends.

He turned towards Kagome's sleeping figure as he thought this. The remaining fire that was helping keep the cave warm illuminated her face and made her seem to glow like an angel. He abruptly shook his head of the thought, wondering where that had come from, but he smiled at her, nonetheless. Although he didn't want to admit it, Kagome was always there for him, encouraging him in whatever he did. She had always been the one to put a smile on his face, whether she knew that or not. Throughout all the battles, she had been there, fighting alongside him, despite the danger that was always present.

'The danger…' he thought to himself.

Inuyasha knew that whatever was ahead, it would most definitely consist of some dangerous obstacles. Could he really risk her safety like that? Knowing the answer all too quickly, he shook his head. Of course her safety was a big issue, it always was, but she would never allow him to go through this alone. There was no way he'd be able to force her back through the well. But this fight…it wasn't just a physical battle they were dealing with. No, it was something much more severe than that, and Inuyasha knew it. But, he wondered, did she know it? Thinking about it made him worry even more, but what if they were underestimating the future? What if they just weren't strong enough? What if-

"Inuyasha?" came a sleepy voice from within the cave.

He turned his head to see Kagome groggily rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"What are you still doing up?" she asked, standing up and carrying her blanket to where he was seated.

"Thinking," he said simply, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"About your parents?" she inquired. Kagome knew she was going into uncharted territory with Inuyasha's memories, but she just had to know.

He looked at her, a hint of surprise on his face.

"Don't look at me like that. How long do you think I've known you?" smiled Kagome, "I can read you like a book."

Without another word, he shifted his gaze downwards. She was right. It had been almost one year to the date when Kagome had come through the well and into his life. Since then, he could feel himself, little by little, opening up to her in a way he had never done. His emotions, his past, his feelings for Kikyo…she knew them all.

'How did I ever let that happen?' he thought as he smiled to himself.

"What's so funny?" Kagome's voice had snapped him out of his reverie.

"Nothing," he answered back, the same tone he had used before, "You should get back to sleep. We'll start off first thing tomorrow."

Kagome nodded, looking him up and down. Even though she was used to it by now, she was always amazed at the physical transformation that took place every new moon. The hair, the ears…everything was completely different, well, everything except for his personality. She knew in her heart that that would be the only thing that would never change, and for that she was grateful. It was always his personality that made her happy, it's what made her come back to the Feudal Era day after day. Sure it seemed he was tough on the outside, but on the inside, she knew, was fragile and vulnerable. He would never hurt an innocent person, despite what the neighboring villages might think of his half-demon blood.

His half-demon blood…Now that made Kagome think. He had always said that he wanted to become a fully transformed demon.

'Is that what he really wants?' she thought.

She had seen his demon side before and, to say the least, it frightened her. Once he had almost attacked her, blinded by his own desire to kill. Did he really want that? There was a time where he had considered becoming completely human, but because of Naraku's trickery, that never happened. Whatever the case, she liked him as he was, whether half-demon or human, it made no difference to her, just as long as she could continue to travel with him.

"Kagome."

Kagome turned her head at the sound of her name.

"Thank you," muttered Inuyasha.

This had caught her off guard. Why was he thanking her?

"For what?" she asked.

"For listening to me…for always being there…for everything," he whispered in a soft tone.

Kagome gave him a small, but tired looking smile and leaned her head against his shoulder. Trembling slightly, Inuyasha picked up his arm and gently put it around her shoulders.

"You're welcome…"

A/N: And that concludes Chapter 2! Please keep reviewing, thanks guys!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha!

A/N: And here's Chapter 3. Anyway, hope you enjoy! (And from now on the dots (…) that run across the majority of the page means that the scene is changing). Also, the dots that run across half of the page means that there is a POV change, although it should only be for this chapter. Sorry to make it so confusing, but I will try to be as clear as possible when writing this. Thanks!

Chapter 3

Early morning birds could be heard in the distance, as the sun shone itself beyond the horizon of the Feudal Era. The raindrops from the night before gathered in small piles on the leaves of the nearby trees. The forest, that had once seemed dark and dank, now glistened and sparkled in the sunlight. Hopefully, this was a good sign of what was to come.

The trio, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Yukanshu, set off early in the morning in search of their friends, and perhaps some answers that would, hopefully, help them figure what was going on. It had been a restless night, despite the fact that the wind had died down and the sky had cleared. Kagome had been near him the whole night, but sleep was still hard to come by for Inuyasha. Now, back to his half-demon form, he led the group in silence.

Not sure whether or not this silence was a normal thing or just plain awkward, Yukanshu spoke up.

"So, that young demon we encountered last night was your brother?"

Kagome answered in Inuyasha's place, "Yeah, that was Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older brother."

"Half-brother!" Inuyasha reminded her.

"I see," said Yukanshu, "It's strange, but I've never seen such malice between two brothers before."

"Yeah, well, we're not exactly a close-knit family," came Inuyasha's sarcastic remark.

"I apologize," Yukanshu said, bowing his head.

"Why do you always do that?" asked Inuyasha, annoyed.

Kagome had noticed it too. Every time Yukanshu had said something out of place or even when he apologized, he would bow. She recognized it from back home, in present-day Japan. Normally, you would bow to show a sign of respect to your elders, but because of her generation, it had become somewhat of a lost art. Usually, you would do it before or after talking to an elder, but the way Yukanshu did it was strange to her. He held something different when he bowed. He would close his eyes, as if in prayer, gently lower his head and bend over. There was something majestic about the way he performed it, perhaps it was the way he resembled a lion, Kagome didn't know. He seemed almost remorseful and held full respect, which was odd, considering Inuyasha was much younger than Yukanshu.

"It is my way of showing you my respect and loyalty," he answered, bowing once more, "I was saved by your father, and now I feel that I owe him the guarantee that you will stay safe."

Turning around sharply, Inuyasha folded his arms into his kimono.

"I don't need anyone's protection, you got that? I take care of myself," he shot back, as he continued to walk away.

"Hmm…feisty, isn't he?" commented Yukanshu.

"No, just stubborn," sighed Kagome, "I'm sorry for his attitude."

"No need to apologize, Lady Kagome," Yukanshu smiled, "He has been through much trauma, I can tell. You need not blame this on him."

Kagome smiled at him, happy that he understood. Inuyasha, on the other hand, obviously wanted to be alone with his thoughts…

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Kagome! Inuyasha! Where are you guys?" called Shippo, worried about the safety of his two friends, "Where could they have gone? You think they're okay?"

"I'm sure they're just fine, Shippo. Now, they must have landed around here somewhere," said Miroku as he inspected their surroundings.

"They can't have gone too far," added Sango, who too was worried about the well-being of her companions.

Kirara, who had transformed into her larger form, sniffed the ground apprehensively. Picking up on a slight scent, she started to follow it deeper into the woods.

"Kirara?" asked Sango as she followed her into the woods, "Hey everybody, I think Kirara has their scent."

One after the other, they followed Kirara deeper into the forest. A while later, they entered a clearing with no sign of their friends. Refusing to give up, Kirara led them into a nearby cave and sniffed around.

"Hey, look at that," cried Shippo.

Their eyes shifted towards the spot in which Shippo was pointing. On the ground of the cave was a makeshift camp fire, a thin stream of steam seeping through the top.

"Hmm…it's still warm," Miroku commented as he bent over to examine it.

Making a low growling sound, Kirara pulled at Sango's sleeve.

"What is it, Kirara?"

There, on the ground, were thin, burnt out sticks, no larger than a finger. Sango picked one of them up and started to inspect it.

"Hey, these are the objects that Kagome uses to light our fires. What did she call them again?" Sango asked herself, scanning her brain for the answer.

"Matches!" replied Shippo, "Then they must have been here!"

"Now, all we have to do is figure out which way they headed," suggested Sango.

"Can you pick up their scent again, Kirara?" asked Shippo, as he jumped onto the two-tail's back.

Kirara nodded her head in confidence as she continued to sniff the ground, but just then, small drops could be heard from outside the cave. Everyone's head shot up in time to see the start of a fierce looking rainstorm.

"Great, just what we needed," sighed Sango as she took a few steps towards the entrance of the cave.

"The weather in these forests can be so unpredictable," observed Miroku, "Well, I guess that means we're spending the night in here. It's better than sleeping out in the forest."

Kaede, who had been quiet the whole time, sat down on a flat surfaced rock and stared at the rain, although, to Miroku, it seemed as if she was staring straight through it.

"What's the matter, Kaede?" asked Shippo, worriedly.

"It is nothing. It's just the frail bones of this old woman taking their toll on me," she answered.

Sensing something else, Miroku interrupted, just as Shippo was about to press forward.

"Well, I think we should all get some sleep. We're going to need it for tomorrow," smiled Miroku.

"Yeah, I guess your right," yawned Shippo, feeling exhausted all of a sudden.

"I agree," nodded Sango as she prepared a fire for them to sleep around.

Everyone gathered around the fire and attempted to sleep through the thundering of the storm that was raging outside. After Sango, Shippo, and Kirara had all fallen asleep, however, Miroku approached Kaede and Myoga at the entrance of the cave.

"Kaede?" whispered Miroku, making sure the others didn't hear him.

She and Myoga turned their heads to see Miroku standing behind them.

"Come, sit Miroku," smiled Kaede as she patted a rock next to her.

Miroku sat next to her, hoping to find a little bit more about what had been going on lately.

"We were just talking about Inuyasha," said Myoga nonchalantly.

"Yes, I figured as much" nodded Miroku.

After a few moments of silence, Miroku spoke up once more.

"Lady Kaede, I must inquire, what is going on around here? I fear danger is imminent," Miroku spoke quietly.

Kaede looked to where the others were sleeping, making sure that they would not awake. Sighing, she looked back at Miroku.

"This battle is not yet over," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"What she means is that Naraku is still alive," interrupted the old flea demon.

Miroku nodded his head calmly.

"Yes, I figured as much. Even though his miasma is gone, I am still cursed with this wretched wind tunnel," said Miroku as he looked at his hand that contained the infinite void.

Kaede looked at Myoga, exchanged similar glances, and nodded. Miroku, confused about their behavior, looked at them for an answer.

"Miroku, what we are about to tell you must remain a secret between the three of us," whispered Kaede.

Miroku nodded, checking to see one last time if the others were still asleep.

"Let us step outside," said Kaede as she noticed that the storm was coming to an end.

The three proceeded to the outer ring of the cave and moved to the side to avoid being seen by the others if they awoke. With a deep, heavy sigh, Kaede started to tell Miroku something that he didn't expect.

"Miroku, was there an element out on the battlefield that seemed…out of place?" started Kaede.

Miroku scanned his brain, remembering the battle that had occurred just days before. Let's see…Naraku had transformed, Kagome and Inuyasha were both battling him, combining their attacks…come to think of it, Inuyasha did seem a bit distracted about something. Perhaps that was it.

"The only thing I noticed was that Inuyasha didn't seem as focused as he usually is," answered Miroku.

Kaede nodded in confirmation and then sighed once more.

"There is a good reason for my master's disturbance," said Myoga, "During the battle with Naraku, there was a mysterious aura surrounding the area."

"What kind of an aura?" inquired Miroku.

Kaede looked at Myoga, knowing that she had to tell someone and who better than a friend of the young half-demon. She knew Miroku was a dependable and trustworthy friend who would, hopefully, be able to assist Inuyasha if need be.

"Inuyasha could sense…" Kaede sighed then continued, "He could sense the presence of his parents."

Miroku took a sharp breath in, trying to comprehend what Kaede had just told him. Could it be true? Both of Inuyasha's parents were deceased, so what exactly did this mean? Their spirits had returned from the land of dead?

"Perhaps it is a warning?" he asked.

"I am unsure of it myself, but one thing is sure," Kaede paused for a moment before continuing, "Both Inuyasha and Kagome will be put to the ultimate test."

"Kagome too?" asked Miroku.

Kaede and Myoga nodded simultaneously.

"In past situations, Kagome has always been involved, in one way or another. It's safe to say that she will probably play a major role in this as well," answered Myoga.

"Yes, Kagome is a priestess and protector of the Shikon jewel, whether she knows that or not," finished Kaede.

"She would have never come to this time had it not been for the jewel or Kikyo's death," continued Myoga, "We are all connected to the spiral of time, past, present, and future."

Miroku nodded in understanding. The situation was much more severe than he had originally thought. Everything seemed so unreal to him. The infamous Dog General and his mortal wife, Izayoi, which he had heard so much about, were among them right now. Furthermore, what were they trying to tell Inuyasha? Something about Naraku, perhaps? Miroku sighed in impatience, knowing that his answer would come all too soon…

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Will you please slow down and let us take a break?" complained Kagome for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"No, we have to keep moving. It looks like the storm's coming again and I don't want to get caught up in it," Inuyasha explained.

"Please Inuyasha," begged Kagome as she slumped to the ground, exhausted, "You're both demons, I'm not built like you are."

Understanding where she was coming from, he sighed. He kneeled down on one knee and positioned his hands behind his back.

"Come on, get on, we're wasting time," he said.

"You mean we're not stopping?" asked Kagome.

"I already told you we can't afford it!" he argued.

"Inuyasha, sit!" yelled Kagome.

With driving force, Inuyasha, face first, hit the ground with a thud.

"Uh…I'd be happy to carry you, Lady Kagome," said Yukanshu carefully as he did not want Kagome's anger directed at him as well.

"Fine then! Have it your way!" yelled Inuyasha as he dusted himself off.

"You are so insensitive!" she yelled back.

"Me! What about you!" he screamed back, "You just plowed my face into the ground!"

"Okay, okay, settle down you two," smiled Yukanshu, "Lord Inuyasha, we must be off, remember?"

Swiftly turning around, Inuyasha folded his arms and walked off into the distance.

"Well, shall we be off?" sighed Yukanshu, unsure of what had just happened as he bent down to allow Kagome to ride atop his back.

"Thanks Yukanshu," smiled Kagome as she hopped on.

"It is no trouble; now let us hurry before he is out of our sight."

Kagome nodded, still a little angry at Inuyasha's insensitivity, but she really couldn't blame him. So many things had happened within the past couple of days, she just didn't have the heart to stay mad at him.

………………………………………………

'How could she yell at me like that?' Inuyasha thought to himself.

He looked down at the ground as he walked alone.

'I wonder if she's still mad at me?' he wondered. He turned his head to the side and took a quick peak behind him. There she was, talking to Yukanshu and riding on his back like nothing had happened.

'What the hell am I, yesterday's news!' he thought angrily, 'She's making it seem like-'

Just then, a familiar feeling swept over him. It wasn't a jewel shard or one of their friends, it was something else. Inuyasha sniffed the air, stopping in his tracks as he did so. His senses were tingling as he kept his ears alert for anything out of the ordinary.

'What is this?' he asked himself.

Then, suddenly—

"There it is!" he announced aloud, taking off into the woods.

…………………………………………..

"What's he doing?" asked Yukanshu.

"I don't know, but we'd better follow him," answered Kagome.

With a quick nod, Yukanshu sped off in the direction that Inuyasha had disappeared.

'What's going on?' thought Kagome.

…………………………………………….

Closer and closer, he was gaining on this scent. He had finally realized what it was. It was the same feeling that had overcome him during the battle with Naraku. They were nearby, he could feel it, and then he would figure out what this was all about. He turned his head to see Kagome and Yukanshu in the distance, trailing him. Finally, when his senses were about to explode, he stopped as quickly as he had taken off. Looking at his surroundings, he realized it.

'This is the place…' he thought.

…………………………………………….

"Inuyasha!" yelled Kagome as they were starting to gain on him.

"What's going on?" asked Yukanshu as they came to a stop and Kagome hopped off.

"This place…" Kagome heard Inuyasha mutter.

Kagome looked around and noticed a small cave ahead of them.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"This village…" he whispered.

"What village?"

…………………………………………….

'Why couldn't they see it?' Inuyasha asked himself.

It was as clear as day. The people screaming, the houses on fire…the screams and shouts of the villagers in fear…in fear of a silver-haired half-demon donned in red robes…

…………………………………………….

"Inuyasha, what's the matter?" Kagome asked worriedly, "Snap out of it!"

But he wouldn't budge. He just stood there, mortified at what he was witnessing. Kagome watched as Inuyasha swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Wondering what it was that he was seeing, she turned to Yukanshu.

"What's the matter with him?" she asked him, panicked.

"I-I don't know," he replied, walking up next to him, "What are you seeing, my friend?"

"Fifty years ago…"

Kagome's head shot up. Fifty years ago? That was about the time he attacked Kikyo's village and was bound to the sacred tree. Could it be that he was witnessing his attack on the village? She looked back to where his eyes were fixated. But how?

…………………………………………….

'It's the village from fifty years ago,' thought Inuyasha, "Kikyo's village."

Just then, he saw a little girl with an eye patch running out of one of the huts, yelling and screaming in fear.

"Sister Kikyo, where are you?" asked the girl.

"Kaede?" asked Inuyasha, but the girl didn't seem to hear him.

'What's going on?' he asked as he attempted to take a step forward, but found that something was holding him back, 'What is this?'

He looked around to see the source of the mysterious force, but what he found, instead, left him speechless. Standing there, a strange glow emanating from her was a beautiful priestess. She stood still, blood dripping from her shoulder, bow and arrow at the ready.

"Kikyo…"

………………………………………………

"Kikyo?" Kagome repeated, looking into his eyes. Although, it seemed as if he was staring straight through her, Kagome continued to keep a solid grip onto his arm, making sure he didn't take off again.

"Kikyo?" asked Yukanshu.

Kagome shook her head, motioning that she'd explain it to him later.

…………………………………………….

Inuyasha reached out his hand, but felt it impossible to reach her.

"Kikyo…" he whispered again.

"Inuyasha…do you love her more than you love me?" shouted Kikyo as she readied her bow and arrow and aimed it at him.

"What? Who do you mean?" asked Inuyasha, but as soon as he had asked, he realized his answer, "Kagome?" Just then, something hit him, what had happened to Kagome?

He quickly scanned the area for any signs of her and Yukanshu.

"Kagome! Kagome! Where are you!" he shouted, continuing to search his surroundings.

Kikyo, who was witnessing the whole ordeal, just smirked at his misfortune.

"What have you done!" yelled Inuyasha, noticing the look of satisfaction on Kikyo's face.

Kikyo shook her head as she spoke, "Oh, Inuyasha, have you forgotten about me completely?" smirked Kikyo, as her expression began to change into that of pure rage, "So be it…you can visit her in hell!" she yelled, releasing the arrow.

Not having enough time to dodge it, the arrow struck Inuyasha in the same area that she had hit him fifty years ago. He could feel himself being thrown back, the village and Kikyo disappearing before his eyes. Everything was starting to get dark and his head felt like it was filled with bricks.

'Kikyo…how could you?' he thought as darkness began to overtake him. He could feel his heart burning within him as he slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

…………………………………………….

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" Kagome called, supporting him as he slumped to his knees. Yukanshu ran over and relieved her of the strain and carried him into the nearby cave.

"Kikyo, Kikyo, how could you?" he kept muttering, his whole body trembling.

"What exactly did you see?" Kagome asked, somewhat to herself.

She placed a hand on his face and found that he was burning up. Kagome pulled a towel from out of her bag and asked Yukanshu to wet it for her while she tended to Inuyasha. He nodded and left without another word. It was then that Kagome noticed that the Tetsusaiga was trembling. She held the handle in an attempt to settle it down, but as soon as she had touched it, she felt a tingling sensation sweep throughout her body. Looking around, she noticed that she was no longer in the cave and Inuyasha was nowhere in sight. The only presence that could be seen was a woman standing before her. She was wearing glowing, white robes and had long, flowing, black hair. To Kagome, she looked like an angel, she was absolutely beautiful.

Kagome took a step towards her as the woman gave her a warm, comforting smile.

"Please…protect my son…" whispered the woman, her voice echoing in Kagome's ears.

'Her son?' thought Kagome.

Who was her son and why was she seeking Kagome's help? Just then, it hit her. Inuyasha had told her that he had felt his mother and father's presence. Could it be that this woman was Inuyasha's mother?

"Are you…Inuyasha's mother?" asked Kagome, finding the strength to speak again.

The woman just smiled at Kagome as her image began to fade. A blinding light engulfed the area, as Kagome shielded her eyes. She blinked several times and found herself back in the cave next to Inuyasha. Suddenly, a pulsating pain surged throughout her whole body as she let go of the Tetsusaiga. As soon as she had let go, the pain subsided. She attempted to touch it again, but was repelled back by the sword's barrier.

Kagome drew her arm back, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The Tetsusaiga, protector of humans, just repelled her. Not knowing what else to do, she just sat there, staring blankly at the sword.

'What's going on around here?'

A/N: And chapter 3 is complete! Hope you all enjoyed it and please review! Thanks guys!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha!

A/N: Okay, so here's chapter 4. Not much more to say, but to enjoy!

Chapter 4

The Tetsusaiga had just repelled her touch. It had never, to her knowledge, ever repelled a human before. It was supposed to be the protector of humans, the sword that could slay a thousand demons with a single swing, and yet, it had repelled her. What did this mean exactly? Did it have some kind of connection with Inuyasha's visions? Kagome didn't know and it scared her to realize that the Tetsusaiga, a sword that possessed incredible power, was turning on them.

"I'm back," came a voice from the entrance of the cave.

Kagome whipped her head around to see Yukanshu staring at her worriedly. It was then that she remembered that she had sent Yukanshu to wet a towel for her. Upon seeing his worried expression, Kagome put on the best smile she could, although she had trouble hiding her trembling hands.

"Lady Kagome, is everything alright?" he asked taking a few steps forward and handing her the towel.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine," she said as calmly as she could, "Thank you," she said, taking the towel from him and placing it atop Inuyasha's forehead.

"Are you sure?" he asked, taking a seat next to her, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

'You couldn't have been closer to the truth,' she thought, "I'm fine, just a little shaken up about what's been going on lately."

"Ah, I see what you mean," he replied, not really believing what she had told him, but nodded his head nonetheless.

The Tetsusaiga still fresh in her mind, Kagome called Yukanshu over to test her theory.

"Can you do me a favor and place the Tetsusaiga aside so that he's more comfortable?" she asked, getting a nod from Yukanshu as a response.

Kagome watched carefully as Yukanshu calmly picked the sword up and moved it aside. Her jaw dropped as she stared at the sword. The Tetsusaiga should have repelled him, that's what should've happened, that's what it was supposed to do, but it didn't. Yukanshu took his place back on the floor with not a single scratch.

"Well," started Yukanshu, unsure of what to do, "I will be outside keeping watch if you need me," he finished, knowing that Kagome wanted to be alone.

Kagome hardly heard him as he shuffled out of the cave. For once, her main concern wasn't Inuyasha, but it was that of the Tetsusaiga. Finally realizing that Yukanshu had gone, Kagome decided to take in some fresh air. She thought it might be able to clear her head and organize her thoughts. Getting up, she stared at Inuyasha, so peaceful, yet something plagued his mind. Would he tell her once he awoke? Kagome shook her head in confusion, proceeding out of the cave.

Taking in a deep breath, she noticed that Yukanshu was nowhere in sight. She wondered where he had gone, but quickly shrugged it off, knowing that he would be able to take care of himself. Stepping back into the cave, her thoughts drifted, once again, to the Tetsusaiga. The sword had never once shocked her, so why would it do so now? Why, all of a sudden, did it turn on her?

Questions plagued Kagome's mind for a good ten minutes until she heard a commotion outside the cave.

"Stay away from here!" Kagome heard Yukanshu shout menacingly.

From outside the cave, Kagome heard a low, but familiar sounding growl and then heard the sound of a young man's voice.

"We're only looking for our friends, we mean you no harm," came a voice. Kagome's ears perked up as she heard the voice. Recognizing the voice immediately, she rushed to the entrance of the cave to see if her assumptions had been correct. Upon exiting the cave, she was met with Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Kaede, and Myoga.

"Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kaede!" exclaimed Kagome, rushing up to them, "It's alright Yukanshu. These are our friends."

"Kagome?" said Miroku and Sango simultaneously, obviously in shock.

"Kagome!" shouted Shippo, jumping into her open arms.

"Shippo!" Kagome smiled back, catching the young demon in her arms, "I'm glad you all found us."

"Kagome, we were so worried about you," nodded Myoga, jumping atop Kirara's head.

"Yes, no harm done?" asked Kaede.

Kagome shook her head in response, "Nope, we're fine for now."

Searching the area, Myoga noticed that something, or, rather someone, was missing.

"Where is Master Inuyasha?" he asked, scanning the area.

Kagome dropped her head and sighed. She then proceeded to tell them about what had happened back in the forest and then what led them to the cave. She, however, left out the details regarding the Tetsusaiga. They had enough riding on their belts as it was; she felt no need to add to the strain.

For the next couple of minutes, everyone remained quiet, not sure quite what to make out of any of it. After finishing, Kagome waited for a response, but got nothing but silence.

"Well, where is he now?" asked Shippo, curiously, breaking the awkward silence.

"He's in the cave sleeping with a fever," replied Kagome.

"Oh, will he be okay?" he asked.

"I'm sure he'll be just fine," she replied, "This is Inuyasha we're talking about here. He's been in worse messes than this. He'll pull through," she said reassuringly, trying not to think of what she was hiding from them.

Kaede, however, saw straight through Kagome's facade, but said nothing.

"Please, accept my apologies for my earlier hostilities. I did not know you had connections with Lady Kagome," bowed Yukanshu before the group.

"Oh, that's right, you haven't met yet," noticed Kagome, directing her attention towards Yukanshu, "These are our friends, Miroku, Kaede, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Myoga," she said, pointing to each one of them.

"Pleased to make your acquaintances," he nodded, acknowledging each one of them, "I am Yukanshu, the general of the lion tribe."

"Yukanshu helped us out after we landed in the forest," started Kagome, "He knew Inuyasha's father and mother during the great war."

'Hmmm…I don't remember the master ever encountering this demon,' thought Myoga as he scratched the bottom of his chin.

"I see, well then, you must be very strong," marveled Sango.

"You give an old demon too much credit my dear Sango. I was merely fighting for the sole purpose of attaining my revenge for the person who killed my beloved brother," he sighed.

"Well, since we have the introductions out of the way, perhaps we should think about setting up camp for the night," suggested Miroku, noticing that the sun had started to drift beyond the horizon.

"That would be a very wise decision," nodded Kaede as she headed into the cave, everyone following her lead.

The first thing they noticed was Inuyasha's unconscious form, lying on the ground of the cave, Kagome's towel covering his forehead.

"He's been out ever since the incident then?" asked Myoga, jumping from Kirara's head to Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Yeah, he should be okay though," Kagome said, smiling lightly at them.

"Yes, but we should keep a close watch on him, just in case," advised Miroku as he studied Inuyasha's form.

'Something strange is going on here, indeed,' thought Miroku, remembering his conversation with Kaede and Myoga, 'Does this have something to do with what Kaede and Myoga said earlier?'

'_Inuyasha could sense the presence of his parents.'_

Miroku clearly remembered Kaede saying this during their conversation a night ago. Were Inuyasha's parents the one's to blame for his visions, but if so, why was Kikyo in them? There was something that just wasn't making sense here. A piece of the puzzle, make that, many pieces of the puzzle were still left missing.

'Did Kagome tell us the truth, or is their more to this story?' he thought as he examined Kagome's worried face. Only time would tell.

"We should start thinking about dinner," exclaimed Shippo, holding his growling stomach, "I'm starved!"

"All right, I'll go down to the river and see if I can catch anything," said Miroku.

"I'll come along too!" piped Shippo as he jumped onto Miroku's shoulder.

"Anyone else want to come?" Miroku asked.

"I shall be out gathering herbs in the forest. Will you all be able to take care of yourselves for the time being?" asked Yukanshu.

"I think we'll be just fine Yukanshu. Thanks for the concern," smiled Kagome.

"It is my pleasure, Lady Kagome," he smiled as he exited to the cave.

As soon as he left, silence filled the cave once more. It was just Sango, Kaede, Kagome, Kirara, and Myoga now. Every one of them were either too tired or too surprised to speak. None of them had ever encountered something like this before, these strange visions that plagued Inuyasha's mind. Would he tell them what happened once he awoke?

Kagome sat next to Inuyasha, lifted his head onto her lap and began to dab his forehead with the damp cloth. She and smiled while doing so, catching Sango's attention.

Sango, seeing this, could do nothing else but smile. She had seen how Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship had grown since the time they had started their hunt for Naraku. Through good and bad, they would always be there for each other, and it was that bond that, in Sango's opinion, would get them through anything.

Although it did not seem to be the time or place, Sango started to think of Kagome's future with them. What would ever happen if the Shikon Jewel had been completed? Would Kagome go back to her own time for good, would Inuyasha make his final decision to become a full demon, and what would happen to those two if that happened? Sango abruptly shook the thoughts out of her mind and started to think of the task at hand. Inuyasha's visions…what was truly causing them? Was it Naraku's doing or was it an unknown foe? She didn't know and just thinking about it made her even more frustrated then before.

Kirara, sensing her master's dismay, found her place on Sango's lap and began to purr loudly. Sango smiled and began to scratch the small demon behind the ears, still thinking of the situation they were currently found in.

"Kagome," whispered Sango.

Kagome looked up to see Sango's concerned face.

"What is it, Sango?" asked Kagome.

"Are you all right?" Sango asked, not really prepared for what she really wanted to convey, "I mean…with Inuyasha and everything that's been going on."

Kagome smiled at her friend's concern and sighed. It was at that moment that Kirara, Kaede, and Myoga left the cave, although neither of them seemed to notice. All three of them felt that Kagome needed to confide in another female, other than Kaede, and left the cave simultaneously.

Kagome shook her head as tears began to fall down her delicate face. Upon seeing this, Sango got up from her spot on the ground and hugged Kagome tightly, whispering comforting words to her. Kagome was at a loss for words, never in her life had she felt so scared and confused, but, all the while, she was glad she had Sango to tell her worries to.

"I don't know what's going to happen this time around. Before, we had always been so confident in our abilities as a team, but now…everything seems so different," cried Kagome as she took refuge on Sango's shoulder, "I'm afraid."

Sango sighed and lightly rubbed Kagome's back, sincerely feeling what her friend was going through. So many things were happening at once; they had to worry about Inuyasha and his visions as well as Naraku. Although it seemed as if they had beaten Naraku, Sango knew in her heart that he was still alive, roaming the countryside. It seemed as if their frustrations were multiplying and that soon they would all come crashing down atop them, but Sango would not let that happen. They had to find a way…they just had to.

"Everything will be okay, Kagome," soothed Sango, trying to believe her own words.

Kagome just nodded and pulled away from Sango, wiping the tears away from her face. She stared at Inuyasha's blank face and thought about what he was dreaming about. He seemed so serene when he was sleeping, but she knew all of that would change once he awoke.

"Inuyasha will be fine," said Sango, sensing Kagome's fears, "Remember, he's half-demon, he'll be just fine."

Kagome could do nothing more than nod at her friend's response.

"We're back," announced Miroku, holding a string of delectable looking fish in his hand.

"We did really well!" smiled Shippo, bounding into the cave along with Kaede, Kirara, and Myoga.

Miroku set the fish aside and noticed that Inuyasha was right where they had left him.

"He still hasn't awoken yet?" he asked.

Kagome shook her head solemnly and sighed, "Nope, maybe he'll feel better in the morning."

"Let us hope that is true," smiled Miroku, gathering the wood that Kagome had provided, "Where is Yukanshu? He hasn't returned yet?"

Both Sango and Kagome shook their heads in response.

"Hmm…it doesn't take this long to gather herbs," mused Miroku getting up out of his position, "I think I'll go look for him."

Miroku walked out of the cave and instructed Shippo to start the fire for dinner and then assured everybody that he would be back soon. With that said, he briskly walked out of the cave and into the forest in search of Yukanshu. He could hear the rushing water of the nearby river and took this time to relax his muscles a bit. All this commotion had taken a toll on all of them and it felt nice to relax every once in a while. As he approached the river, however, he heard light whispers of several people…make that two people. As he neared the area from which the voices were coming, he quickened his pace. For a moment, he came within hearing range.

"It is all going according to plan," came a low male voice.

"Good, I will report back to you in a few days time, don't mess up," said a second female voice, "Naraku will be very upset if you…"

"Hold on," came the male voice, "I sense something."

Miroku's heart started to pound, if he made a break for it now, he would surely get caught, but if he stayed where he was, there was no telling what would happen. Suddenly, there was complete silence. All that could be heard was the river and the rustling of the nearby bushes. Miroku turned his head in the direction of where the voices had originally been coming from but saw nothing. He began to relax a bit and soon regretted letting his guard down. Unable to move, Miroku found himself on his side, blood dripping from the side of his head. Much to his dismay, he had been attacked from his side, powerless to do anything. As his vision began to blur, he saw the two shadowy figures that had ambushed him. Incapable of making a distinction between the two, he slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

A/N: Well, there's Chapter 4! Sorry if it was kind of boring, but it'll pick up, I promise! Thanks for the reviews!


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